Looking Ahead to the Florida Storytelling Festival: Book Early

Make plans now to attend the 39^th annual Florida Storytelling Festival in Mt Dora, Fl. on Jan. 26-29.

Tellers and listeners from throughout the state will gather for the four-day event at the historic Lakeside Inn on Lake Dora.

Featured this year are five gifted and diverse tellers:

# Folk artist/historian Andy Hedges from Lubbock, TX., has a varied repertoire that includes classic cowboy poetry recitations, obscure cowboy songs, dust bowl ballads, and blues.

# Japanese Korean storyteller Alton Chung, from Oregon, grew up with the stories, superstitions, and the magic of the Hawaiian Islands which gives him a unique perspective when telling stories of Hawaii, of WWII Japanese-Americans, and Asian folktales.

# Jessica Piscitelli Robinson is the founder of Better Said Than Done, a live audience/Zoom format celebrating seven years of true, personal storytelling in Northern Virginia. She has performed throughout the country, authored a fantasy novel and short stories published in anthologies. She also runs a video production company.

# Mitchell O’Rear is a storyteller from the Orlando area with the Storytellers of Central Florida. He has been active in educational outreach storytelling programs in schools as well as storytelling at libraries, museums, festivals and other venues in Central Florida.

# Another Florida-based teller, Robin Schulte, is well-known to Florida Storytelling Association members. A former high school English and Speech teacher, she now divides her time between solo performances and a tandem story partnership, Tales Two Tell, with storyteller Autumn Huff Garick.  Robin’s solo work is a mix of personal stories, folktales, and literary adaptations.

Also, the festival youth outreach programs will bring Youthful Voices to the concert stage, featuring young tellers who are learning the art of the oral traditions of storytelling.

In addition to concert performances by these five, the festival’s showcases will feature other Florida tellers.

There will be workshops during the festival where novice and advanced tellers can learn ways to hone the craft.

Story Swaps and a Story Slam competition will give attendees chances to take the stage. New this year is a Liar’s Contest for those who have tall tales to tell.

The festival also offers free Front Porch Storytelling during the mornings at the Lakeside Inn’s massive porch.  

There are ticketed events with the featured speakers in the Big Concert Tent on the lawn of the Lakeside. The event wraps up with a Sunday morning session with the featured tellers.

 Come for a tent concert on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday nights. Check out the daytime storytelling events.  Book a room at the historic Lakeside Inn.  See one concert or take them all in with a Full Event Pass.

If you are a story-listener, check out the Listener’s Pass.

Be sure to book your room at the Lakeside Inn by calling the Inn and asking for the Florida Storytelling Festival rate.